Method and device for improvement of the sound quality of an audio file

ABSTRACT

A method and device for improving the sound quality of an audio file in an audio device by modifying an audio signal by means of at least one effect device. The method according to the invention includes the following method steps: a) associating the audio file with meta data; b) comparing the meta data to files in which settings of the effect device are stored; c) associating the meta data with a file from method step b), and d) loading the file from method step c) and activating the effect device, the effect device being set by means of values from the file in method step c).

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the National Stage of PCT/DE2016/000,156 filed onApr. 18, 2016, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 of GermanApplication No. 10 2015 005 007.9 filed on Apr. 21, 2015, thedisclosures of which are incorporated by reference. The internationalapplication under PCT article 21(2) was not published in English.

The invention relates to a method for improvement of the sound qualityof an audio file in an audio device by modification of an audio signalby means of at least one effect device. Furthermore, the inventionrelates to a device for carrying out the method.

Methods of the type stated initially are known from the state of the artand are used to improve the sound of a device that plays audio. Effectdevices such as equalizers, compressors, limiters, as well as reverb andecho devices are usually used for this purpose, individually or as aunit.

A compressor/limiter, for example, is a limiter that hinders a peaklevel from being exceeded in order to prevent overmodulation. They alsohave significance as volume/loudness regulators of instrumentgroups/singing or speech. Values of the parameters channel fader,threshold, attack (if present), release, and output level (output level)are set for this purpose.

Equalizers, for example, are used for correction, equalization or otherexertion of influence on the sound pattern, and consist of multiplefilters with which the entire tone frequency range of the audio signalcan be processed. This happens, for example, by way of the specificsetting of frequencies and of the filter quality.

Effect devices are therefore also connected with specific settings, inorder to influence or improve the sound quality of audio signals, alsoof an audio file.

In this regard, in conventional methods the overall sound of the devicethat plays the audio is adapted, i.e. the selected settings of theeffect devices are supposed to apply to all audio that is played by wayof the audio device. For this purpose, the respective terminal, whichcan be adjusted by the consumer or user, is positioned in the main audiochannel path of the device in question by the manufacturer of the audiodevice. In this regard, it is unimportant whether this is a device thatplays audio and has one, two or more channels. In order to be able tooffer the consumers or users of the audio device a broader wealth offacets of sound settings, conventional effect devices generally havepre-settings, called presets, i.e. in the case of a compressor/limiter,for example, values of the parameters such as channel fader, threshold,attack, release, and output level are already set. Some of thesepre-settings (presets) are already pre-programmed, such as, for example,settings having the names “music,” “movie” or “game,” and are thereforesupposed to stand for a specific sound pattern. Others can be freelycreated and stored in memory, and these are called user pre-settings(user presets). If the consumer or user wants to switch betweendifferent settings, he/she must select the effect device and manuallychange the setting. This is done either by way of activation of a storedpre-setting or manual creation of a new setting.

According to the present state of the art, however, it is not possiblefor consumers or users to implement an individual sound adaptation thatis dependent on the audio event but fully automated, and thereby to useit. This results in the disadvantage that the settings found within anaudio-playing device for all the audio events to be played will produceeffective sounds for some audio events but less effective sounds or nonefor others. For example, an amplified bass frequency is excellentlysuited for some audio events, but not at all suited for others, whichhave a strongly produced bass right from the start. Also, speechamplification is excellently suited in a specific movie trailer, but notat all suited in a different piece of music that includes singing, sincein this case, the singer sounds distorted and excessive, since the musicpiece was already produced with a high vocal level. Users therefore areforced to change the settings or pre-settings of the effect device morefrequently and manually, in order to have the enjoyment of the mostoptimal listening event possible. For the consumer or user, this meansthat specific audio events sound better, and others sound worse. Also,the state of the art has a negative effect in that the consumer or userdoes not undertake settings of the effect devices that are available inthe audio device right from the start.

It is therefore the task of the present invention to eliminate thesedisadvantages.

This task is accomplished with the characteristics of claim 1.Advantageous embodiments of the invention are evident from the dependentclaims.

The method according to the invention is characterized by the followingsteps:

-   a) association of the audio file with meta data;-   b) comparison of the meta data with files in which settings of the    effect device are stored;-   c) association of the meta data with a file from method step b), and-   d) loading of the file from method step c) and activation of the    effect device, wherein the effect device is set with values from the    file in method step c).

It is the core idea of the invention to achieve individual soundadaptation for every audio file, if at all possible, in that an audiofile is first ascertained and found using meta data, and then the audiosignals of this audio file is provided with effectively set effectdevices. Meta data are data that describe the content of media files,such as audio files and video files. They are used to describe thecontent of these files (e.g. composer, length, genre) or also todescribe subsumption of different file formats into what are calledcontainer formats. Meta data are either changeable or unchangeablecomponents of a media file or also of descriptions detached from mediafiles, which are administered in meta databanks, for example. Even then,they are linked with specific media files, but are present externallyand not within the media file itself. Within the scope of the methodaccording to the invention, both media-file-internal (for example ID3tag) and media-file-external (freely selectable meta data catalogs) canbe used. Furthermore, the files that contain settings of the effectdevice can also be stored in the storage medium in which the audio fileswith which meta files are associated and/or can be associated arestored.

The method according to the invention solves the problem of individualsound adaptation, which did not exist until now. It is the advantage ofthe invention that it is now possible, for the first time, to actuallyprovide individually played audio events with the effect devices thatare optimally set for them, in each instance. The consumer or userhimself/herself therefore no longer has to intervene, but rather is ableto enjoy his/her audio events in a manner that is automaticallyoptimized for the audio-playing device and/or the listening environment.By means of a distribution of automated and manually adjustable effectdevices, it is furthermore possible to allow the consumer or user tohave possibilities of intervening in the sound, so that he/she canfurther individualize it if necessary. The same holds true for personsskilled in the art, such as audio engineers, for example, who wish toadapt the method according to the invention to specific audio-playingdevices or environments. In this regard, the method according to theinvention becomes more and more precise, the more data, i.e. the moremeta data, are available and can be evaluated with regard to the audiofiles to be played. It is advantageous that individual optimization ofsound events of all epochs, genres, and styles can take place by meansof the method according to the invention. For the first time, even audioevents of different epochs, which are played one after the other in amix, sound homogeneous, for example because lower sound qualities ofolder recordings, for example, can be individually adapted tocontemporary sound by means of the method according to the invention.

An advantageous further development of the invention provides that themeta data are stored in the audio file. A practicable variant of theinvention provides that the meta data are stored in an externaldatabase. The variant of the invention last mentioned has the advantagethat it is possible to utilize large vendors of meta data and theirrepertoire of musical pieces.

It is practical if the files from method step b) are stored in adatabase of the audio device or in a Cloud. In this way, largeinventories of files can be centrally stored, in advantageous manner,which files contain the set effect devices. The database can also be anexternal database, i.e. it can be situated outside of the audio device.Large inventories of files in turn have the advantage that furtherdifferentiation of set effect devices and therefore also of the audiofiles is undertaken.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that theaudio signal modified by the effect device is passed on to audio outputsof the device. In this way, it is guaranteed that the audio device canbe coupled with additional loudspeakers, and thereby the soundexperience can be improved even further.

A device for carrying out the method is the object of claim 7, whereinit has:

-   -   a storage medium in which the audio files are stored, with which        meta files are associated and/or can be associated;    -   at least one effect device;    -   a further storage medium in which files are stored, which files        contain settings of the effect device, and    -   a control module that is associated with the storage medium, the        effect device, and the further storage medium.

Preferably, the device has audio outputs and/or audio inputs. Also, itcan additionally have video inputs and/or video outputs, as well asfurther control inputs and outputs for controlling external devices,such as light sources, for example.

A computer program that is implemented in a device according to one ofclaims 7 to 10 is the object of claim 13, wherein the computer programcontains an algorithm that is processed by a processor of the device,wherein the algorithm processes the method according to one of claims 1to 6. The computer program can also be present in the form of a mediaplayer, in this regard.

In the following, the invention will be explained in greater detailusing the drawings. These show, in a schematic representation:

FIG. 1 a block schematic with multiple effect devices as a unit;

FIG. 2 the method according to the invention, shown in a blockschematic;

FIG. 3 the components of a container format according to the invention,in a block schematic;

FIG. 4 the flow chart in a control module according to the invention,additionally shown in a block schematic;

FIG. 5 an expanded unit of effect devices, in a block schematic;

FIGS. 6 to 11 further embodiments of the invention, shown in a blockschematic, and

FIG. 12 the components of a computer program in the form of a mediaplayer according to the invention, in a block schematic.

FIG. 1, in a block schematic, shows a number of effect devices 1, 2, 3,4, 5, 6, 7, which are connected with one another and together have anaudio input 8 and an audio output 9. These effect devices are used tomodify the audio signal of an audio file, not shown in FIG. 1.

The effect devices 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 are a “bypass” foractivation/deactivation of the entire unit, an “equalizer” for adjustingdifferent frequency bands, a “speech enhancer” for enhancing voices, forexample in movies, a “bass level raiser” for raising or lowering freelyadjustable bass and level frequencies, a “leveler” for automaticadaptation of the volume level over time, a “stereo spread” forexpansion of the sound pattern, and “limiters” for intercepting peaklevels at the end of the signal chain, so that no overmodulation canoccur.

FIG. 2 shows the method according to the invention, in which meta datathat are stored in an audio file, not shown in FIG. 2, are conducted tothe control module 10, which has a microcontroller, by way of at leastone data line 12. Furthermore, audio signals of the audio file, whichfile is stored in a storage medium not shown in FIG. 2, get to an effectdevice 2, which is present in the form of an equalizer in the embodimentof the invention shown in FIG. 2, by way of a line 11. Instead of theindividual effect device 2, a combination of effect devices, as shown inFIG. 1, can also be used. The audio signal processed by the effectdevice 2 gets to the audio output 9. Both audio data and meta data, i.e.data with accompanying information regarding the audio event that iscurrently being actively played, are processed in the control module 10.The control module 10 associates specific settings of the effect device2 with specific meta data, by way of the control line 13, and activatesthem as soon as the audio event starts to play, because the meta dataprocessed by the control module 10 are situated at the start of theaudio file or are loaded up from an external meta database, not shown inFIG. 2, which database is linked with the audio file currently beingplayed. Meta data are content-describing data relating to media files,such as audio files and video files. They are used to describe thecontent of these files (e.g. composer, length, genre) or also todescribe subsumptions of different file formats into what are calledcontainer formats.

FIG. 3 shows a container format AVI (Audio Video Interleave) that isprovided with the reference symbol 14. Here, the meta data, as “headerdata” 15, describe the synchronized combination of a video file 16 withan audio file 17. The consumer or user activates only the superordinateAVI file, which carries video and audio jointly in its container. Inthis way, it becomes possible to combine video and audio into a jointlycontrolled file, without complications.

The control module 10, as also illustrated in FIG. 4, associates metadata with specific previously established settings of the effect device2, which are stored in a storage medium, in a file 21, underdesignations identical to meta data, and can be called up. For thispurpose, the control module 10 converts meta data to control data forthe effect device 2, from a freely configurable number and type of metadata that get into the control module 10 by way of at least one dataline 12. In the first functional section 18, the control module 10recognizes the combination of letters, numbers, and symbols of the metadata currently being read in. After recognition of the received metadata, these are compared with the data sets situated in the file 21 andassociated with the functional section 19. Combinations of letters,numbers, and symbols are stored in the file 21; these combinations aredirectly linked with pre-settings of the effect device 2. If thecombination of letters, numbers, and symbols of a meta file is identicalwith the designation of a data set contained in the file 21 forcontrolling the effect device 2, the effect device 2 is activated by thefunctional section 20 of the control module 10, and read out. Thecontrol module 10 sends a command to load the associated data set to theeffect device 2. After this loading procedure, the effect device 2 hasactivated its setting, which had been stored under the specificallyrecognized and activated combination of letters, numbers, and symbols,and changed them accordingly. The more meta data can be recognized, readout, and activated by the control module 10, the greater the repertoireof the individual and automatically triggered sound adaptations withreference to concrete sound events. If no meta data of a media file arerecognized, the control module 10 automatically activates an establishedbasic setting, so that no failures of the controller can occur.

The audio data present in a media file or audio file, such as, forexample, LPCM (Linear Pulse Code Modulation), in the case of the audioformat AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format), are directly supplied tothe effect device 2 and processed there. The sound-modulated audio isapplied to the audio output of the effect device 2 and is passed on tofurther processing.

The effect device 2 can also have a freely configurable number and typeof sound modules, all of which can be pre-configured by way of manual orautomatic pre-settings. These pre-set adjustments, which are storedunder individual combinations of letters, numbers, and symbols, are thenactivated by way of the control module 10, so that the effect device 2loads the activated pre-setting and modulates the sound in accordancewith the activated pre-setting. Aside from the parameters that can beautomatically activated, the connected effect device, as is evident fromFIG. 5, can also contain what are called master sound modules, whichadapt the entire sound system over all the sound modules that can beactivated. By means of this master parameter, which is composed of theadditional equalizer 2 a and the intensity, it becomes possible to adaptthe overall sound system to special conditions, such as listening viaheadphones in contrast to listening in a car. By means of thiscombination of automatically and manually adjustable parameters, themethod according to the invention can be easily adapted and thereby usedin maximally flexible manner.

As is evident from the embodiments of the invention according to FIGS. 6to 11, it is also provided, within the scope of the invention, that thecontrol module 10 controls a non-fixed number of effect devices 2, 2 a(via line 22), which are associated with a non-fixed number of audiodata sources, on the basis of a non-fixed number of meta data sources(FIG. 6). Furthermore, in a further embodiment of the invention, anon-fixed number of control modules 10, 10 a controls an effect device 2having a non-fixed number of audio data sources, specifically on thebasis of a non-fixed number of meta data sources (FIG. 7). As thefurther embodiments of the invention show, a non-fixed number of controlmodules 10, 10 a controls effect devices 2, 2 a (via line 23) having anon-fixed number of audio data sources, on the basis of a non-fixednumber of meta data sources (FIG. 8). Alternatively, the meta datasource 24 of the control module 10 is a media file, in this regard, withintegrated meta data (FIG. 9). As a further variant, the meta datasource of the control module 10 is a media-external file, i.e. separatefrom the media file 25 (audio file) (FIG. 10). Finally, the meta datasources of the control module 10 are an external file 30 and the audiofile 31. In this regard, the meta data from the audio file 31 aresupplied to the control module 10 by way of the line 26 (FIG. 11).

FIG. 12 shows a computer program 27. If an audio file or audio/videofile is activated in the playlist 28, the control module 10 recognizesthe meta data of the media file activated in the playlist 28 or/and themeta data of external meta databases 29 that belong to the media file.After recognition, the control module 10 compares the found meta datawith the data sets contained in the file 21. If the control module 10 isable to associate a control data set contained in the file 21 or/and anexternal meta database 29 with the media file activated in the playlist28, it sends the control command contained in the file to the effectdevice, which changes in accordance with the control data contained inthe control file. Finally, the audio outputs 9 of the effect device 2are conducted to the outside from the media player that is present asthe present computer program 27, so that they can be connected orprocessed further with amplifiers/loudspeakers.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

-   1 effect device-   2 effect device-   2 a equalizer-   3 effect device-   4 effect device-   5 effect device-   6 effect device-   7 effect device-   8 audio input-   9 audio output-   10 control module-   10 a control module-   11 line-   12 data line-   13 control line-   14 container format-   15 header data-   16 video data-   17 audio file-   18 function section-   19 function section-   20 function section-   21 file-   22 data line-   23 data line-   24 meta data source-   25 media file-   26 line-   27 computer program-   28 playlist-   29 meta database-   30 external file-   31 audio file

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for improvement of the soundquality of an audio file in an audio device by modification of an audiosignal by means of at least one effect device, each effect devicecomprising a freely configurable number and type of sound modules, themethod comprising: a) association of the audio file with a freelyconfigurable number and type of meta data which are stored in metafiles, wherein the audio signal of the audio file is outputtable as aplurality of audio events played one after the other, b) comparison ofthe meta data in the meta files associated with the audio file with datasets in a setting file in which settings of the freely configurablenumber and type of sound modules of the at least one effect device arestored, c) selection of a data set of the setting file designated by acombination of letters, numbers, and symbols in the meta data in themeta files, d) loading of the selected data set of the setting file intothe at least one effect device to automatically trigger individual soundadaptations dependent on specific audio events, e) outputting the audiosignal, f) activation of the at least one effect device while outputtingthe audio signal, wherein the at least one effect device is set withvalues from the loaded selected data set of the setting file to producethe individual sound adaptations dependent on the specific audio eventswithin the plurality of audio events of the audio signal of the audiofile, wherein the meta files are stored in an external database thatcomprises meta files supplied by one or more metadata vendors.
 2. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein a control module of the audiodevice controls the method steps b) to d).
 3. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the setting files from method step b) are stored in adatabase of the audio device or in a Cloud.
 4. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the audio signal modified by the at least one effectdevice is passed on to audio outputs of the audio device.
 5. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the external database comprises at leasttwo databases.
 6. A device for improving a sound quality of an audiofile in an audio device, comprising: a first storage medium in whichaudio files are stored, with which meta files having meta data areassociated and/or are associable, wherein an audio signal of one of theaudio files is outputtable as a plurality of audio events played oneafter the other, at least one effect device comprising a freelyconfigurable number and type of sound modules, a further storage mediumin which a setting file is stored, said setting file containing datasets defining settings of the freely configurable number and type ofsound modules of the at least one effect device, a control module thatis associated with the first storage medium, the at least one effectdevice, and the further storage medium, and an external database thatstores the meta files, wherein the control module is configured toselect a data set of the setting file designated by a combination ofletters, numbers, and symbols in the meta data in the metal files; loadthe selected data set of the setting file into the at least one effectdevice to automatically trigger individual sound adaptations dependenton specific audio events, activate the at least one effect device whileplaying the audio signal, wherein the at least one effect device is setwith values from the loaded selected data set of the setting file toproduce the individual sound adaptations dependent on the specific audioevents within the plurality of audio events of the audio signal of theaudio file.
 7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the device hasaudio outputs.
 8. The device according to claim 6, wherein the devicehas audio inputs.
 9. The device according to claim 6, wherein the devicehas video inputs and/or video outputs.
 10. The device according to claim6, wherein the at least one effect device is more than one, wherein thecontrol module controls a non-fixed number of the more than one effectdevices, and wherein the more than one effect devices are associatedwith a non-fixed number of audio data sources, on the basis of anon-fixed number of meta data sources, wherein the non-fixed numbers ofaudio data sources is greater than zero, and wherein the non-fixednumber of meta data sources is greater than zero.
 11. The deviceaccording to claim 6, further comprising one or more additional controlmodules, each of the control modules controlling the at least one effectdevice.
 12. A computer program stored in a non-transitory computerreadable medium, wherein the computer program contains an algorithm thatis processed by a processor, wherein the algorithm processes a methodfor improvement of the sound quality of an audio file in an audio deviceby modification of the audio signal by at least one effect device, themethod comprising: a) association of the audio file with a freelyconfigurable number and type of meta data which are stored in metafiles, wherein the audio signal of the audio file is outputtable as aplurality of audio events played one after the other, b) comparison ofthe meta data in the meta files associated with the audio file with datasets in a setting file in which settings of the freely configurablenumber and type of sound modules of the at least one effect device arestored, c) selection of a data set of the setting file designated by acombination of letters, numbers, and symbols in the meta data in themeta files, d) loading of the selected data set of the setting file intothe at least one effect device to automatically trigger individual soundadaptations dependent on specific audio events, and e) activation of theat least one effect device while outputting the audio signal, whereinthe at least one effect device is set with values from the loadedselected data set of the setting file to produce the individual soundadaptations dependent on the specific audio events within the pluralityof audio events of the audio signal of the audio file.
 13. The computerprogram according to claim 12, wherein the computer program is presentin the form of a media player.